9 REASONS TO SUSS OUT THE OVERLAND TRACK
1. IT PUSHES YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
We’re dealing with a multi-day hike here. So, that means staying overnight in some cabins, grabbing some extra hiking equipment and setting off into the unknown. Though, it’s so worth it once you hit those views from the get go.
2. IT’S A DIGITAL DETOX
Ever feel like you are always on your phone? Always on social media? The Overland Track winds across some pretty remote areas of Tasmania. These areas are so remote that even mobile phone reception does not reach them, which seems to be an ever-reducing phenomenon in this day and age!
Switching off from the world around you for 6 days and being immersed in nature is very good for the soul.
3. YOU GET TO RECONNECT WITH MOTHER NATURE
Being disconnected from the world, being immersed in some of the most pristine alpine and rainforest environments in the world, and breathing in some of the cleanest air in the world, these things have a profound effect on you.
A recent article by a student from Stamford University suggests there is evidence that being in nature changes your brain, providing a meaningful improvement in mental health.
4. THE MOUNTAINS ARE BERSERK
On the Overland Track, there are mountains around you at every turn. The area was subject to glacial action many thousands of years ago, with the glacier carving out the dolerite faces of the mountains that we see today. Whilst these mountains may not have the immense scale that those in New Zealand may have, they certainly make up for it in rugged beauty and character.
5. YOU’RE ALSO EXPOSED TO CREEKS, RIVERS AND WATERFALLS
It’s true that the Overland Track gets a lot of rainfall. So whilst walking in the rain may not be your cup of tea, there is a very nice side-effect — it makes the creeks and waterfalls flow like a madman.
If there’s rainfall before or on your trip, the waterfalls really pump and putt on a show of nature’s awe-inspiring power.
6. YOU MEET GREAT PEOPLE
Spending a reasonable chunk of time on the Overland Track without a lot of stimulation from the outside world leaves you to focus on what is around you. As there are generally several groups of people starting the Overland Track on any given day it is inevitable that you will meet some like-minded people.
7. IT’S ALWAYS DIFFERENT
The weather on the Overland Track can be quite variable so you never quite know what conditions you will get when you head out. Depending on the season, you could cop snow throughout the hike. Other times you could enjoy some warm and dry days.
8. YOU GET EVEN FITTER
If you haven’t done a lot of hiking before it’s always good to make sure that you are physically prepared for the hike. This is especially true if your body isn’t used to carrying weight on your back. Walking for 6 days across 65km with over 20kg on your back can be rather tough if you are not experienced. So having a big hike like this one in your calendar gives you a great fitness goal.
9. YOU FEEL THOSE SWEET SWEET ENDORPHINS AFTER
After hiking for 65km and being in the bush for 6 days, it’s pretty exhilarating to reach the end of the track at Narcissus ferry wharf and wait for your ferry to arrive to take you back to civilisation.
Being able to sit on the wharf and contemplate the trip, all the people you met, and all the things that were achieved is certainly one of the best parts. Once it’s all finished, a burger and a beer at Cynthia Bay tastes pretty good too!
